At the moment, it would appear Paul Bassman is out of the music business. Who's Paul Bassman? He's the man behind 226 Music Group, the management (and much more) company to which Damageplan and Drowning Pool were signed; he was also Flickerstick's manager when the band was on the run on MTV. But today, Paul announced that 226 is no more, due to "a series of unfortunate setbacks," among them Sony BMG's severing its deal with 226.

RED Distribution, which is a Sony BMG-owned distribution company for rock-and-roll comers, released albums from 226 recording artists Jacknife and Dryline. But as Bassman points out in his release, Sony-BMG was less than thrilled with the speed-metal bands' poor sales and ditched 226 as a client. Also, Drowning Pool on April 10 tore up its contract with Bassman, leaving him without his best-known band after the death of Dimebag Darrell in December 2004 led to the end of Damageplan.

Unfair Park couldn't reach Bassman, an old pal from way-way back. So, instead, we'll go with his prepared remarks: "We have encountered numerous obstacles starting with the tragic murder of Dimebag Darrell Abbott of Damageplan...In addition, repeated personnel changes with Drowning Pool and the loss of their label deal with Windup Records delayed our timetable for launching their next record. These events ultimately impacted our ability to leverage those established artists and effectively launch new artists on the 226 label. At this time we are accessing all possible options to determine if 226 can remain a viable operating entity." Till then, then. --Robert Wilonsky